Transforming Manipur: State Ayog
- Part 2 -

Dr L Krishnamangol Singh *

The NITI Aayog meeting underway at Delhi April 27 2015 :: Pix - TSE

The Central Government envisages that the economic and public policies that seek to restructure and transform the national and state economics need to dismantle the old systems of the national polity, plug the loopholes in economic liberalisation and reforms, expand the governance and development along with the introduction of new financing model of the Centre, a new model of decentralization for the states with more decision-making power, which is systematically integrated with a new national institution, known as NITI, Ayog that replaced the erstwhile Planning Commission.

Thus, the Central Government has now evolved a new institutional mechanism that combines both the Central authority and state authority. In fact, this is a new system of one homogeneous authority of the nation which will wipe out all political and ideological differences in nation building and national development in which the states can also take part or play significant role in promoting economic growth and development of the nation.

Thus, in this new model of institution for the nation, no state (i.e. the Indian states) can escape from the interdependent development system of the country. Again, this new system of national institution seeks to dismantle the bureaucratic allocation of resources from the Centre to the states as the decision for development will be taken at the same forum, which is basically political level or political leaders forum with subject experts.

Therefore, the states need to prepare for restructuring the old planning system in order to adjust to or integrate with the national system. Thus, the states now require pooling of experts or inducting various experts for restructuring the old or conventional planning system in order to avoid the bureaucratic hurdles that stand in the way of rapid socio-economic transformation and development of the states including Manipur.

And this is a new strategic policy that seeks to expand and strategic policy that seeks to expand and strengthen the new political economy of economic growth and development, in which the Central and state governments will now play active role in promoting economic growth and development along with the expansion of market economy, and integrating it with different foreign countries or the global economy.

Thus the states in India need to be empowered to follow almost the similar nomenclature known as "NITI, Ayog in order to streamline or establish a uniform system of financing for the states. It is in this context that the appropriate rules and regulations need to be formulated for establishing NITI Ayog at the state levels. And, in evolving or establishing a uniform system of the "institution", the names of the different states of India need to be used in place of India, mentioned in the NITI, Ayog.

Alternatively, the term "national" may be used at the state level also considering that the states are also parts of the federal system of the country. Thus, the name like "National Institution for Transforming Manipur, Ayog", (Government of Manipur) or Manipur Institution for Transforming the State, Ayog (Government of Manipur) can be used at the state level in order to restructure the erstwhile command economic system of planning and encourage the expansion of the market economy or economic liberalisation system of development along with strategic government actions (i.e. both the actions of the Central and State Governments) for transforming the State in terms of economic growth and development.

In fact, the transformation of the country and states including Manipur can take place at various levels or sectors of the national and state economies from the low level of development and obsolete or outdated mode of production, inefficient techniques and methods of development, existence of unskilled labour, etc. towards a higher level or advanced stage of development.

And, the transformation also requires changes in the rigid social structure, which affects socio-economic development of the country and states including Manipur. Thus, it is now the right time to make major reforms in various aspects of the national and states' economies in order to address the critical issues of growth and development, and transform the entire society and economy (of the country) into a higher level of development in which there will be maximum level of the people in the country or in various states of the country including Manipur.

In fact, there is the need for state-level reforms that can be introduced or launched in different states in the country, including Manipur. Thus, under the NITI, Ayog or similar Ayogs at the state level, the Central and State Governments can remove the bureaucratic controls in the allocation of financial resources. And, within the framework of the NITI, Ayog that can be reformulated for the states, the Central Government needs to empower the states for establishing the institution for transforming the states to make/enhance decentralization of the decision-making power of the states in order to empower the State Institution for any development progremme or specific project/schemes that can provide benefits to the people.

This system will also strengthen governance and development at different levels because all Ministers and MLAs will be involved in the formulation of the development programmes along with the reputed/concerned experts. In my earlier articles and writings, I have also conceptualized and emphasised this new system of financing and the development as the direct involvement of the Ministers and MLAs in the formulation and implementation of the development programmes.

In short, I have conceptualized this system of financing and development as the "Parliamentary and Legislative model of development" for the country and the states, which will subserve or fulfill the interests of all sections of the society and promote rapid economic growth and development at different spaces and levels of development in the country including Manipur.

Thus, the State Ayog along the line of NITI, Ayog needs to be urgently established in Manipur in order to induct and pool all elected political leaders and the experts comprising economists, social scientists, etc. for the formulation of economic policies and other development programmes for the State. In this context, it is essential that appropriate guidelines need to be urgently formulated for establishing Manipur Institution for Transforming the State, Ayog.

Thus, the State, Ayog, which can be the short form in place of NITI, Ayog at the state level within the framework of NITI, Ayog will minimise and perhaps check "corruption" (a common term) at different levels of the state and promote rapid economic growth and development in Manipur.

In this model of financing, governance and development can be expanded and strengthened in all states in the country, and there can be harmonious relationships and coordinations among all Ministers and departments of the Government (Central and state Governments) and bureaucratic officers and the political leaders of the States, including the experts. In fact, this model of development falls within the new economics of political economy of growth and development. Thus, we can now concentrate on this new economics for transforming the nation and the states including Manipur.

Concluded...